Reginald Breaux often lives out of a suitcase. So when interior designer Arianne Bellizaire began redesigning the bedroom Reginald shares with his wife, Courtney, she knew she had to create a space that was just as easy to depart as it was to return to.
She divided the French Acadian-style house’s master bedroom into zones: a built-in closet where Reginald could stage and pack his suits for business trips. A small workspace he could use to work from home. Seating where the couple could watch TV and talk about their day. And most importantly: compartments where Reginald could tuck all the work clutter away, so he could focus his energy on his family.
“Even though we added bulk by building out cabinets and a fireplace, it feels bigger now than it did with just a bed and two nightstands,” Bellizaire says.
The room’s color story blends the couple’s individual styles. He wanted calmer; she wanted bolder. Bellizaire’s compromise was rich midnight-blue accents against a backdrop of beiges, creams and yellows. The walls are washed in the faintest blue that isn’t overly matchy-matchy or too baby blue.
The telltale sign that Bellizaire’s design is working? When she visits the couple, it still looks exactly like she left it. “It really is one of those spaces,” she says, “where they are living in it the way we designed for them to live in it.”
Drag the slider left and right to see the Breaux’s before and after pictures.
On left: USB charging hubs are hidden in drawers, freeing up nightstand space the family would have otherwise used for charging devices.
On right: A writing desk makes working from home easy.
Homeowners Courtney and Reginald Breaux
On left: Metal floral pieces grouped over the bed offer a hint of femininity to the gender-neutral room.
On right: Sconces can swing from the bed to the writing desks and nightstand.
A modern electric fireplace offers warmth and a visual focal point, while the pull-out stools provide a resting spot for suitcases.
On left: A wood and polished nickel chandelier was one of Bellizaire’s favorite finds, offering a “yin and yang mix of masculinity and femininity.”
On right: A seating nook overlooking the pool is a multi-use space where the couple can read, watch TV, monitor the kids as they swim, or simply catch up with each other.
This article was originally published as part of the April 2020 cover story of 225 Magazine.
Click here to see more articles from the 2020 Spaces & Places issue.
